You know Japanese Businessmen are insulting you when. . .
 

This might tie some threads together over the last week or so, but I found a site with common swear words (or insults) in foreign languages. Some are quite creative.

http://www.insults.net/html/swear/index.html

[Spree: Well, um, insults in foreign languages]

My personal favorite so far.

Peranuht shoonuh kukneh - The dog should shit on you
(Armenian)

Overrated/Underrated
 

The original five members of Duran Duran have gotten together this summer for a tour. The only announced dates so far are in Japan and Europe, but I think they're planning on swinging state side in the fall.

Overrated/Underrated
 

I think I'm going home now. To cook.

Overrated/Underrated
 

Will you bring back a sandwich for me?

Overrated/Underrated
 

Ah, that's where you're wrong. In fact, I have hit the bars with Japanese businessmen. Granted, the men I hung out with the most in Japan were in their thirties and attempting to be polite to me (not your typical salaryman).

Note that I said "most things Japanese."

Reminder
 

To vote for Ruben tonight.

Overrated/Underrated
 

SD, what's "heny"? I'm actively trying to improve my culinary skills, and love new ideas.

In honor of mothers' day
 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I am going to print out these articles and show them to people whenever they look at Mrs. R and me after we mention that we're thinking about not having kids.

You'd think it's a crime against humanity that we're thinking about not breeding. I don't care if we have "good genes" (their words, not mine) and that the world could use more "people like us." Fuck off. It's our life. We'll live it how we want.

Overrated/Underrated
 

My favorite underrated food is Ethiopian.

We have a nice little African restaurant that serves mean ethiopian food, but my favorite is still Ghenet on Mulberry in the city that doesn't sleep.

They got a shout-out in Sunday's magazine in "The Next Big Flavor":

"First, we phoned Marcus Samuelsson, 32, the globe-trotting co-owner and chef of the three-star Swedish restaurant Aquavit in New York. His reputation is built on a deft brand of fusion that emphasizes tasty results over high concept. His pick for the hot flavor of tomorrow? Berbere, the brick-red, sun-dried, chili-based spice blend that's been a staple of Ethiopian cuisine for more than 100 years. Berbere (pronounced bear-BEAR-eh) typically includes, in addition to red chilies similar to serranos, toasted ginger, cardamom, garlic, fenugreek and cinnamon.

''Berbere is transportable and adaptable,'' Samuelsson said. ''You can put it in any cuisine and it tastes good. You could make berbere-roasted chicken. You could rub it on whole red snapper. I could even make you sushi with berbere.'' As much as we wanted to accept his offer, we decided to put berbere to the sushi test in the brutally objective space of our own kitchen.

At the moment, you can't find berbere in supermarkets, or even in most gourmet specialty stores. Samuelsson had advised that freshly ground berbere is best purchased from an Ethiopian restaurant, so we phoned Ghenet, on Mulberry Street in Manhattan, and the next afternoon we were dipping slices of raw salmon into a dish of the powder we'd purchased ($10 per pound). The berbere smelled toasty, with the sinus-tickling foreboding of chili powder but the soothing scent of dried fruit and cinnamon. The silky dust adhered to the raw salmon like cocoa powder to a chocolate truffle. We braced ourselves for the fire, and tossed it back."

Full text: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/04/magazine/04TASTE.html

They are completely right about berbere, by the way. It's heaven on potatoes, lentils, in stew . . .

Even(I also love "sushi" (though I only eat sashimi), but hate pretentious assholes who act as if there is something cooler than thou about consuming it the "correct way"* -- it's food, don't get so uptight about it.)Odds

* This is not about TM. This is about "friends" who offer dissertations on technique at the freakin restaurant to all who will listen.

25 Sequels this year
 

"Final Destination 2"
"Shanghai Knights"
"The Jungle Book II"
"X2: X-Men United"
"The Matrix Reloaded"
"Pokemon Heroes"
"2 Fast 2 Furious"
"Dumb & Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd"
"Rugrats Go Wild"
"Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle"
"Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde"
"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"
"Bad Boys II"
"Exorcist: The Beginning"
"Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over"
"Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life"
"American Wedding"
"Freddy vs. Jason"
"Jeepers Creepers 2"
"Once Upon a Time in Mexico"
"Scary Movie 3"
"The Whole Ten Yards"
"The Matrix Revolutions"
"Barbershop 2"
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"

Overrated/Underrated
 

I've heard rumors of an Ethiopian restaurant here in Houston, but I haven't found it. My favorite is in a little strip mall in Berekely near Telegraph Avenue. I used to go there all the time with my sister.

underrated
 

Just remember that Terry Puhl is the most underrated player in baseball.

Food: Mac & Cheese. Too bad about all the carbs. It's what I miss most.

Actor: Vincent D'Onofrio. Briliant on Law & Order, ditto for Salton Sea. Also, I've never not loved Steve Buscemi. Very curious to see how Jack White does as an actor in Cold Mountain.

Occupation: Wedding Photographer. Do you know what these fuckers charge? Send the checks to fat city.

Movie: Some Kind of Wonderful. Best of the teen movies, though nobody recognizes it as such. Who among us can't relate to all three of Keith, Watts and Amanda? I think the movie's biggest flaws are in Lea Thompson's acting choices (she made her character too likeable, and it doesn't always suit the dialogue), but there's still so much to love. Plus, it has Duncan the skinhead, who has turned into a great character actor.

TV Show: 1. Four on the Floor/The Mole/The Amazing Race. 2. SCTV. 3. News Radio

Law Firm: In house. Try it, you'll love it. Heh heh heh.

Song: Synchonicity II. "We have to shout over the din of our Rice Krispies."

Band: Belle & Sebastian. They oughta be huge.

Sexual Position: Her legs on my shoulders. Makes for the best finish.

str8.

In honor of mothers' day
 

If these people are telling you things like this, they're not the kind of people you want to be listening to anyway.

Overrated/Underrated
 

I've never understood the allure of food styles developed in countries most notable for starvation.

Overrated/Underrated
 

Junkie...

Goddamnit. Nice to see you again.

Heny is honey typo-ed beyond recognition.

S(The sushi discussion brings you back from the dead, eh?)D

Poll
 

I was making a general reference to the various Oktoberfests. I try to stay away from downtown if at all possible - I hate parking down there and my car seems to get damaged each time I make the trip.

Anyone ever used the Texas Bar ethics hotline? I have a conundrum involving a client conflict (with each other), past actual fraud (hence the conflict) and the potential (or actual) theft of a lot of cash (from a third party) that is making my head hurt. I just left them a message. The Bar, not the clients.

Also, I will be in Fort Worth for a few days - is there anything remotely entertaining to do there during the day?

-T(brain hurts)L

Overrated/Underrated
 

Should there be some kind of sarcasm alert here? Or are you just being offensive?

Overrated/Underrated
 

I think he probably was channeling the late Sam Kinnison (spelling?) [insert KW's siren here]

K("Don't give the Ethiopians food aid for chrissakes. Give em a U-Haul. Hey!! You want food?! Move out of the desert!! Oh!! Oh!! Oooooohhhh!)E

Overrated/Underrated
 

Which reminds me that an under rated food is brown rice. Great with a couple of spices and some beans. Goes with simple and complicated dishes, and nothing is better for cooling your mouth when you eat too much wasabi.

underrated
 

Finish for who? Isnt it all the same for you guys?

Overrated/Underrated
 

I've never been able to get past the "grab a handful of goopy food between a sponge-like bread" aspect of those meals, especially with a large group. Perhaps on a date (with someone I've been dating for a long time), but not with a bunch of slobby friends.

In honor of mothers' day
 

I know, bilmore, but these are just the most extreme examples. The typical answers are "You'll regret it," or "You'll change your mind."

To which I feel like replying: "Spare me."

underrated
 

Not at all.

Contrary to popular belief, sometimes we actually want the woman to stay.

not7yS

PS - If Samuelson keeps up this "hybrid" food schtick, Aquavit is soon gonna go the way of Atlas.

underrated
 

And speaking of finishing, I have this friend, no really, who was with this guy who splooged on her twice (bc coitus interruptus is such an effective method of contraception). She said there was more splooge than she had ever seen in her life and she asked why. He said it was bc he was really horny. Now, I can understand one gigantic sploogisode,(ie no jerking off or having sex recently), but two big ole floods in an hour? What the dilly-o? And does ths mean the orgasm was more intense, or lasted longer? I know there is a correlation between coming and splooiging for men, but I also know it is not direct (ie a guy can come without sploging and vice versa, though its not as common, though one guy I was with used to have multiples all the time with one splooge per- hey I am good). So 'splain

(note I may or may not know the answer to this but really feel like discussing sex today for some reason)

25 Sequels this year
 

I'm not even sure what some of these are sequels to. Once Upon a Time in Mexico? American Wedding?

And could Exorcist: The Beginning really be a sequel, or is it more a prequel?

I think the only movies on here that I saw the first one to is The Matrix, Legally Blonde, X-men, and Charlie's Angels.

C(then again, the last movie I saw in a theater was Kissing Jessica Stein)deuced

In honor of mothers' day
 

Good for you - if you don't want them don't have them. You don't need to give anyone a reason why - it's none of their business.

People who make comments about the state of others' families should be taken out and shot. On a related note, the only thing possibly worse than comments about not having kids when you don't want them is comments nagging you about kids when biology isn't letting you have them.

I'm getting remarks right now like - "I guess you two do more than work after all," "See, I told you that you just needed to relax," "It's about time," and "So you finally figured it out, huh?" Yes - we've been fucking like bunnies for years, but sometimes that doesn't cut the mustard in the baby-making department, but thanks for your comment - it was ever so helpful. :rolleyes:

-T(and crabby today too!)L

Bored Board Poll
 

What she said.

In honor of mothers' day
 

Kids will no doubt completely change your life. Even to the extent that you tend to lose your childless friends, who basically cannot stand to be around your snot nosed little brats.

Had you asked me five years ago, I would have said I could take them or leave them. And I basically had to be dragged into fatherhood, kicking and screaming. Well, we had sex, so there may have been some screaming, but not too much kicking.

In any event, I occasionally still get wistful at my relatively carefree childless friends and wonder what a life without children would be like. That being said, I wouldn't change anything.

In honor of mothers' day
 

It's incredibly rude for other people to make comments to you directly about your reproductive habits. That said, I think it's silly for a couple in their 20s to decide they NEVER want children. I know people who changed their minds. Once a year (maybe on their anniversary), couples should sit down and have a serious talk about whether they want to start a family. That way no one assumes anything, no one is locked into a decision they made years earlier, and no one is afraid to speak of they they have a change of heart. If both parties agree that they still don't want children, there is peace of mind that you are both on the same page.

25 Sequels this year
 

I believe Once Upon a Time in Mexico is the third movie in the El Mariachi series, and American Wedding is the third American Pie movie...

In honor of mothers' day
 

I'm looking forward to a very happy life then. And why people say someone educated/intelligent will automatically bear an asset to society is utter conceit. How do these people know they're not actually raising the village idiot? Some asshole law firm partner? A Ted Bundy-esque sociopath?

It takes a village idiot indeed
 

HEY! Keep these sneaky jabs at Hillary on the politics board......actually keep them to yourself unless you want to be branded a PenskeSock!®

kidless
 

I get dumb questions about kids too. All the time. I adore children, but I have very mixed feelings about being a mother.

Some people just don't have the temperment to have kids. And if it weren't some default in society that you just have to have them, we'd all be a heck of a lot better off.

I don't care if you are a saint, those buggers just know how to piss people off in a way adults couldn't begin to comprehend. And if you have this unresolved angst or anger hanging around, it is gonna come out and the target is gonna be the little ones.

They simply don't deserve that. I hate when parents act like kids owe them something. The kid didn't ask to be born, you know? It isn't a necessity of life. We don't have to be fruitful and multiply any more. We have been plenty fruitful.

25 Sequels this year
 

Sadly, I'm not sure what the El Mariachi series is. And there was a second American Pie movie?


C(apparently I need to get out more)deuced

Speaking of kids....
 

Are there any parents out there who will admit on this board that they wish they'd never done it?

The articles say there are many parents who will say things like "It's a lot of stress" or "It really strained my marriage" but won't take the next step and say "I wish I'd never done it." I guess they would feel bad suggesting they wished their offspring had never been born (which in their mind is probably the equivalent of wishing them dead).

Overrated/Underrated
 

Neither. (You forgot that third possibility, and I am helpfully reminding you of it.)

In honor of mothers' day
 

There are good reasons why certain subjects are entirely off limits in civilized society. For instance, the politics board has recently reminded us all why religion is traditionally one of them.

Questions about when or if you are having kids, and if so (or not) why (or not) is also one of them. (In fact, thinking or saying anything at all about the state or condition of anyone's reproductive organs is such an obvious gaffe that it is embarrasing to even have to point it out.) Even from family memebers who can be presumed to have some interest (i.e.: parents, with the usual exceptions for the education of minors). The only acceptable words to pass out of your mouth with respect to someone else's family (and particularly family planning) are "and how is Bob," "congratulations" and "how nice for you" (that can be particularly effective in warding off unwanted disclosures).

I tend to greet the "when are you two having kids" question with the "goodness, I don't know, we haven't got a crystal ball" response, but if pressed when I've had a few I do admit occasionally actively getting into it with the pushy. Usually to the tune of "I was thinking about it until I met yours." One really shouldn't, under any circumstances, get into the substance of such questions, it only encourages them to pry more.

However, I'm also a fan of guerilla etiquette reinforcement. Which means I advocate, upon being asked a rude, intrusive question, that people who are annoyed but not deeply damaged about the issue take it upon themselves to burst into hysterical tears and sob "Oh, God, I don't know! Why am I being punished like this? Why are you taunting me about it? How can you be so cruel?" and running off weeping while everyone in earshot glares at the rude interrogator for tormenting the innocent. It is the only way to train them never, ever to do it again before they hit on someone they actually hurt. (You will note that this generic outburst is useful with slight variation for many types of intrusive questions, including "why aren't you (two) married yet?" "Did junior get into Harvard (is junior toilet trained) yet?" "is your novel ever going to get published?") I understand that some people don't have the dramatic inclinations to do so, but I believe doing our part to shut down busy bodies really is a duty every individual owes to the rest of society.

Thong Wearing Man Outrages Locals
 

(warning: photo of gross guy with ass hanging out):

http://www.boston.com/news/daily/06/odds_thong.htm

Here's another reason not to have kids. You might have this guy.

p(in theory, it's great he's at one with his bod and all--in practice, in public, eeewwwwwwww!)j

25 Sequels this year
 

El Mariachi is the movie Robert Rodriguez made prior to the Spy Kids movies (and Dusk Until Dawn, among others).

I am glad to see him returning to non-kids movies.

In honor of mothers' day
 

Oh, see, I greatly fear having just this sort of discussion. I can totally see myself admitting to the Mr. that I've changed my mind don't think I actually want children anymore and then trying to figure out what to do with two toddlers.